Time, by Moments, Steals Away

Time

by mo­ments

steals away

First the hour

and then the day;

Small the dai­ly loss ap­pears

Yet it soon amounts to years:

Thus an­oth­er year is flown

Now it is no more our own;

If it brought or pro­mised good

Than the years be­fore the flood.

But (may none of us for­get)

It has left us much in debt;

Favors from the Lord re­ceived

Sins that have His Spir­it grieved;

Marked by an un­err­ing hand

In His book re­cord­ed stand;

Who can tell the vast amount

Placed to each of our ac­count?

Happy

the be­liev­ing soul!

Christ for you has paid the whole;

While you own the debt is large

You may plead a full dis­charge:

But poor care­less sin­ner

say

What can you to jus­tice pay?

Tremble

lest when life is past

Into pri­son you be cast!

Will you still in­crease the score?

Still be care­less

as be­fore?

O

for­bid it

gra­cious Lord

Touch their spir­its by Thy Word!

Now

in mer­cy

to them show

What a migh­ty debt they owe!

All their un­be­lief su­bdue

Let them find for­giv­eness too.

Spared to see an­oth­er year

Let Thy bless­ing meet us here;

Come

Thy dy­ing work re­vive

Bid Thy droop­ing gar­den thrive:

Sun of right­eous­ness

arise!

Warm our hearts

and bless our eyes;

Let our pray­er Thy bow­els move

Make this year a time of love!